The Headless Horseman
by cubanagurl
Summary: Set after Season 3. Elsa accidentally releases the Headless Horseman into Storybrooke. Emma, Regina, and Rumple tries to find a way to hinder the Horseman from any potential harm, but the Horseman is after only one person...the one one who has escaped him before. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, someone has their first encounter with the Horseman in Sleepy Hollow.
1. Chapter 1

The Headless Horseman

Summary: Set after season 3. Elsa accidentally unleashes the Headless Horseman to Storybrooke. Emma, Regina, and Rumple tries to find a way to send him back, but the Horseman is only after one person...the only one who has ever escaped him in the Enchanted Forest. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, someone goes wandering into Sleepy Hollow, a forest of darkness and if one goes alone, they will hear the warnings of the Horseman's presence near.

* * *

Chapter 1: The Enchanted Forest.

The beginning scene takes us to the kingdom of Avonlea. The skies haven't gone totally red, but it was clear that the red was billowing on its way.

Maurice, the Merchant King of Avonlea, grew weary of timing. Two nights from now, it was promised that he would meet with the Dark One, and his daughter's marriage to Sir Gaston had been near as well. Would the deal work? Would they get married?

Maurice's thoughts had been interrupted when he heard the grand door open heavily and sweep the floor with a great impact that nearly shook the room. He accepted his right-hand man's bow of the head before listening to what he had to say.

"Sir Gaston is here from his journey. He has news about the war as well."

Maurice nodded. "Very well."

The dark skinned man that spoke stepped aside as a few militants dressed in clads of gold and sapphire from the neighboring kingdom of the Plains entered the room and parted like the wings of a bird to let Sir Gaston through. Sir Gaston proceeded to bow his head toward the elderly man.

"Maurice, my Lord. I've had some news. The Frontlands and Marchlands remain untouched. It seems to be skipped over due to what may seem like the protection of Queen Regina and The Dark One."

Maurice nodded his head and then sat regally upon his red and gold ornate throne.

"You assume they have a league with each other?"

Sir Gaston shrugged his broad shoulders. "More or less, my Lord."

Maurice contemplated on that and waved his hand.

"What of the other kingdoms?"

"Arendelle has almost fallen. Its physical state is staggering.", Sir Gaston replied.

Maurice placed a hand on his forehead and rubbed it. He had been stressed about this war. He wished it would end. Sure, having the Dark One's protection was an outrage, but he had covered the Frontlands well. He sighed and sipped some content from his chalice. He leant over his shoulder to one servant.

"Please send for my daughter.", the stressed merchant King requested.

The servant bowed and did as told. Sir Gaston was invited to take a seat. He denied a seat for a while during a conversation, but then finally conceded after shuffling his feet. Just as he would be fully-seated, the sound of rushing feet caught everyone's attention. All the men turned to see the servant.

"My Lord, Miss Belle is not in her room! I can't find her anywhere!"

Maurice leapt from his seat and sprinted to his daughter's bedroom.

It was surely vacant, a book was placed on the middle of the bed which was supposed to be made, but the sheets from the bed were twirled into knots and had been thrown over the open window.

"Not again.", Maurice muttered under his breath.

The merchant King snapped his fingers. "Guards, find her."

The sound of thundering hooves echoed on the castle courtyard. Many guards went on the searched for his bookish daughter. They headed to the town square and didn't notice a lone, hooded figure.

The figure poked her head around a corner with a small smirk. She giggled and shook her head before sneaking out a back way. She still had her hood over her head and a basket in her hands full of objects to take with her.

Belle had been free yet again this week. The guards thought they knew where she had gone off to, but Belle was ever the wiser. She went through a trail leading her to a dozen of trees. She parted a branch from her sight to see another nearby town. She stepped out into the dim light that came from the sun as it had been setting. She heard a league of boisterous laughter coming from nearby. She padded close to what had seemed to be a tavern. She stepped into the gloom of the tavern after pulling her hood back and had fixed her brunette curls, into the environment of raucous laughter.

* * *

After a swindle of beer or two, Belle hadn't been touched by the liquor one bit. She was a heavy-weight drinker. She would often have a fit of small laughter when she had seen a barged man drink the same amount she had and start slurring in his speech and shortening his vocabulary. She cleared her throat before asking for one more mug to clear her sorrows away and not think about the life she had to lead without love or hope.

That's why she left home. She didn't want to deal with the responsibility her father bestowed upon her. Selfish as it might have been, she always wanted adventure. She didn't want a life that had been pin-pointed for her.

After receiving her third mug, she heard a sound of a gathering crowd. She leaned over in curiosity knowing very well when there had been a gathering crowd that was about to be subdued in order to hear one voice, this meant a story was about to be told. Belle and stories were always grown to be hand-in-hand. She listened to the sound of one burly man tell his tale.

"Yes, I've been there, it had been dark and gloomy, but spooky?Gods no!"

"But, the only one we know who t-traversed in those hell-bent woods had been that Crane fool!", A voice interrupted the man's tale.

"What if I told you that I am that fool."

A bunch of gasps overlapped the setting and became contagious throughout the entire tavern.

"Yes, and I've got proof!"

Belle furrowed her brows and turned in her seat to see the group and the man in the center who had been telling his tale. He wasn't as what was described of Ichabod Crane. Crane was described as a thin man with a beak-like nose and black beady eyes. This man didn't fit the description. He had been muscular, burly, and had a massive beard. His nose was not like a bird, but chubby at the end. At least, that's what Belle had thought. These were the locals of the town that resided nearby the forest they had been raging about. She instead kept spectating and listened.

"There's no way in 'ell that you could have entered that forest and come out alive. No one, who has ever entered Sleepy Hollow had ever lived to tell the tale..." , A puny man argued before pausing in shock.

The gasps started again which made Belle roll her blue orbs. A tattered hat was thrown on the table from the burly man.

"This, men, is my proof."

"It is as the story says. Crane's hat had been left behind." One man spoke in awe.

Many that surrounded the table gathered closer to see it.

"When the creature threw its flaming pumpkin, it missed me head and formed a hole in my hat."

Belle slid off of her seat with a scoff not believing this story for one bit. The story after all was just a story. She used to tell stories to the children in her own village and her village knew of the Legend itself regarding Sleepy Hollow and the Horseman.

"So you actually went into Sleepy Hollow and stood face-to-face with the Horseman?"

All the men turned when they heard the light voice with an accent one wouldn't surely forget. They all shook their head with mutterings that seemed to be transcribed as 'it's a woman. They know nothin.'

"Why yes, woman. I've been there, done that. See this hat?." The burly man boasted with a smirk on his face.

The man chortled in laughter, but Belle remained unfazed and shook her head. She had a small smirk of her own as she stepped closer and placed her hands on the table right by the stench of sweating men and alcohol breaths.

"That hat doesn't prove anything. It could be just any old hat that is torn. How is that entirely any proof? Any man can come up with such a story.", Belle stated as she looked at the main individual.

The man tried not to seem meek in the presence of Belle. He sat up in his seat as his eyes were harshly locked upon hers. He got up and roughly gripped her fair chin. He stood up to tower over her. Belle shown no restraint as her expression hardened. The man leant closer with his warm, strange breath clouded over her face and his nose pressed against hers.

"I've been there, lady. Who would even listen to you anyway?"

Belle shoved him off of her and then glanced at the others who cowered their heads.

"Says the one who boasts about the forest without even a chill about the thought. Alright..." Belle contemplated about this now.

The men watched her pace in thought with wonder. Many wondered how in the hell would she stand up to the burly man without even a flinch or even without fear. Some had smug looks that matched the burly man thinking she had nothing to say.

"So, if I travel through Sleepy Hollow, I will come back unharmed right?", Belle finally summoned.

The men all froze in shock when she said that, even the mighty man there.

The burly man tried laughing, but it ended up coming out with a nervous trace. "You? A woman, go into Sleepy Hollow? I mean, that's...that's.."

"What? Suicide? I thought you made it alive and okay. It's not so bad right?"

The men looked back to the burly one. The burly one now hated the attention when it came to almost being sussed by a woman.

"You are just saying that aren't you? I mean no woman in her right mind would ever act on something they say hypothetically."

Belle tilted her head and shrugged her shoulders with a small smile.

"You'd never know.", she only replied.

* * *

The men continued to drink and tell stories to cover up what had happened before. They continued to laugh and jeer as some tried picking up barmaids.

All that ceased when they heard the sound of heeled boots click against the wooden floor and a figure walk by casually. They all craned their necks to see it had been the woman who spoke to the burly man earlier. She had a rucksack around her shoulder, and wore trousers and a corseted blouse with long sleeves and a cape on.

The burly man stood up, complexion turning pale. He attempted to walk forward, but it was as if he was stuck on the floor. He didn't want to lose this battle if it meant that this woman wouldn't come back alive.

"Where are you headed, wench?" The man spoke, voice now timid.

Belle turned around with a smirk on her rosebud lips.

"Sleepy Hollow."

After that, the bar grew silent and grim as they watched Belle leave the tavern.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two: Storybrooke.

Emma stormed into Granny's with a worried expression on her face. It was very common in these past few days especially when she learned that she unleashed a Snow Queen earlier.

"We have a problem."

Everyone turned in their seats to face her. Leroy launched up from his seat. His finger rose in the air.

"Should I alert everyone else in town?", Leroy asked, blinking.

Emma had an expression that was strained in annoyance and shook her head.

"No need, thank you.", Emma replied and forced a smile on her face.

Emma then headed to the center of the diner and slipped her hands into her jean pockets.

"Someone may have unleashed the Headless Horseman in Storybrooke."

Everyone shared huffs and whining about how everything was going so well until this happened.

Belle had a different reaction. Her eyes lifted from the page she had been on in her book and looked up at Emma. The pupils in her very blue eyes shrunk and her throat became dry and shallow. Her complexion paled which earned a concerned looked from her husband sitting across from her. Gold took her hand as if trying to rouse her out of some panicked state or whatever had been going on with her. He had never seen her in such a state. Belle always had been the brave one and for some odd reason, the mention of the creature that had been native to their land coming to this one gave even the brave at heart goosebumps on her arm.

"Everyone please calm down. We can handle this.", Emma tried sating everyone's discomfort.

" 'We'? What do you mean we?", a voice drawled from the corner.

Emma glanced to the speaker. It had been Regina who sat alone with arms crossed.

"You mean...you will handle this. You've brought everything to yourself. If you hadn't brought-"

"I get it, Regina, and I'm sorry, but I'm not doing this alone. Gold, you and I agreed that..."

"No."

Regina then stood up to her feet.

"You agreed. Not we. Gold has a wife to care about and I have a town to care about. This is your problem, Emma. Solve it."

Regina was about to leave, hand on the door handle and had it half open when Emma held the door shut.

"I'm sorry, Regina, okay, how many times do you expect me to apologize? Isn't it his decision? Wouldn't you do the same thing if Daniel was the one I brought back?!"

Everyone listened in pure silence and shock. Gold was mainly focused on finding out what was going on with Belle in silent whispers of comfort and questioning.

Regina looked to the ground and still held on to the door handle.

"This has nothing to do with Daniel...", Regina spoke gravely.

"Just answer the question, Regina. That's what's bothering you, right?"

Regina's dark eyes narrowed into a cold stare toward Emma.

"I let Daniel go while you were away with your mother in the Enchanted Forest. attempted to bring him back again. It worked, but not as I wanted. He came back a monster. I'm over him...it's different.", Regina replied quietly.

Emma sighed as she listened.

"This is only about you and Robin. Yes, I brought Marian back, but I'm sure he's just confused. Please, I need your help."

Before Regina was going to answer, Belle as went out the door in a flourish which left even Gold in shock.

The little conflict that went on between Emma and Regina was wiped away as they watched Belle leave.

What was wrong with Belle?

**Author's Note: I know this chapter was shorter, but there are scenes on the show that are short lol. I wanted to give off that feel of the show format if that makes sense. I know I didn't say this in the first chapter, but please REVIEW lol let me know if I should continue this and if you really want to read about the adventure Belle has going through Sleepy Hollow. *Hint: It should be the next chapter when Belle encounters the Horseman Mwhahaa. Anyway, love you guys, kisses! -Cubanagurl**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: The Enchanted Forest

* * *

It was dusk now. The wind blew lightly but strummed up its instruments against the trees and the shrubs within the forest. As Belle travelled further down the trail, the lights from the nearby village dimmed as the trees started covering its view like a darkened green curtain.

It was silent, a relief from the confines of the raucous bar Belle left behind. She endured the silence, and lavished in the presence of it for she didn't have to hear anything more. She didn't have to go day by day having to listen to her father order her around and to tell her what she should or shouldn't do. She had become an adult and she felt like she could make her own decisions as she pleases.

The forest had been different to her as described. It was quiet and there had been no sounds that made her blood thin and her heart leap out of her bosom. Many described the setting as being disquieting, that every sound made within the forest seemed as if you weren't alone. Usually, hearing such relentless sounds meant a warning or an indication that the Horseman was near.

Belle seldom felt a shiver in her spine despite the clothing she wore that protected from the bites of the cold. She eyed the new trees marking the path of Sleepy Hollow, noticing they looked like tall, skeletal figurines. From her imagination, she saw them as guardians of the woods. As she passed by the vortex of trees, she craned her neck to see that the trees had branches on the sides of them, like pallid, bony arms pointing directly ahead. Their skeletal-like fingers gently wavered from the wind which personified it as a human-like motion.

Belle, nonetheless, steered the stallion forward in a smooth motion despite the horse's uncertainty that can be plainly seen in it's dark round orbs and quivering stature. Belle gently smoothed the horse's mane as they went forward.

The wind picked up after a while of traversing through the ominous woods. The setting darkened the deeper that Belle travelled. A stray chestnut lock of hers escaped and framed her fair check. With a swift motion, Belle tucked the lock inside the hood she wore over her head and wrapped it around her ear.

Belle wasn't one to just look straight ahead, she was one to examine what had been around her. She saw an owl fly by with its small hoots and a squirrel scurry to its home in the hollow of a tree. Belle understood what people said about the 'noises' inside the woods. It had just been the animals settling down to sleep, while the nocturnal ones ventured off for their meal. It certainly didn't give her any anxiety or unease.

After the rustles of the hairs of the trees and chattering of the night animals, all noise ceased. Not even the slight sound of wind whizz we past as Belle proceeded forward with the horse. Belle furrowed her brows as she kept concentrating on her surroundings. The trees stilled in their motions and she left behind the ones that hovered high above her and entered what seemed to be a gateway of the trees that would start to bow in her presence as if they would know she was of nobility.

The sound of clicking hooves started again. The ground was not as soggy, and it sounded as if pure tile had been underneath the horse's hooves. Echoes started to elongate throughout the new path, still in the same woods.

Belle looked around as if she would find someone near and laughed to herself softly. Men's tales often made her curious, but all at once she knew they were just legends. She was alone here now unless a passerby would come by, which there wouldn't be any for everyone got the spooks from the legend. Perhaps, Belle thought, it was meant to scare off voyagers so that they wouldn't interrupt a person who lived here and they could live in peace. She doubted one lived here, but sometimes one would wonder if the legend was just too good to be true.

Belle started humming lightly after a while of boredom. It had been some lullaby she recalled hearing from her mother when she had been around. She was amused as her humming voice echoed in that section of the woods.

After a while, Belle arrived at a narrow area of the woods. The sounds of crickets making their music started to ring in her ears as she looked around again. Her humming ceased when she discovered what seemed to be a rusty old shack beside her. She tilted her head, curious. The horse she currently had in her possession started backing up, and snorted as if not liking their current location. Belle hushed it gently and looked closer.

The shack was broken down with broken windows. Old glass still scattered about it, not too far. The door was crooked in its hinges and it seemed that it had been empty, or if its occupant abandoned it. What became disturbing was what had been around it.

There was a vine that hung from a tree nearby the house and from that vine, there dangled what seemed to be the parts of some animal. It have off a horrible scent as flies seemed to find their home around it.

Belle had been disgusted by the sight and what had been worse was a tiny fence that had been splayed with blood in front of the house. On the fence was a mark made from blood, with what seemed to be a pentagram on it.

Belle couldn't stand the sight any longer and went on to continue her journey. Belle tried to get the image out of her mind. The smell stayed as if it followed her, but it was just etched in her mind and nostrils. Belle shook her head and shut her eyes to think of other things. She tried thinking of the daffodils she would pick as a child. They smelt lovely and had pure innocence in its image.

Frogs started their croaking as Belle got close to a swamp. Depending on the geography, she felt as though that Sleepy Hollow eventually led to the Marchlands, where swamps had been prevalent in its woods. Belle would stop soon after she would pass the boggy swamp. She was sure another body of water had been near for a rest.

She eyed the water seeing it bubble although she hadn't seen anything go under to form such bubbles. Perhaps crocodiles had been near which made Belle cringe. They must be sleeping she told herself.

Belle then heard a thud nearby and jumped in her posture. She narrowed her cerulean eyes as she tried finding the source of the noise. She jumped again hearing another thudding sound. The wind picked up even more, making a strange hollow sound from the echoes that formed from every movement. Belle frowned and didn't let it stop her from venturing forward.

The wind started to spiral near Belle as if trying to whisper in her ear. Belle held on to her hood when the wind tried pushing it back. Belle saw nothing but pitch darkness ahead. Belle looked up at the sky seeing that she could barely see the twinkling stars in this area. Its as if every source of light was blotted out by darkness here.

Belle felt her hands start to get cold and clammy the further she had gotten. There were sounds coming from every corner, every plop was heard from the swamp but with the sound itself intensifying from the echo. The noises started to become relentless and overbearing. The wind quieted as if to let the other sounds overpower it. The wolves were finally heard as if they were not far from Belle but really they had been yards away. Their howls were loud and Belle could almost feel their warm breaths on her neck and hear their snarls. Belle shut her eyes tightly to block out of all the sounds that started to make her feel uneasy now.

Belle finally heard pure silence again. She reopened her eyes to see that she was near a lake rather the gloomy environment of the swamp. Belle breathed steadily now as she stopped the horse and hopped off. She stepped toward the lake and pulled her hood back. She crouched down to splash some water on her face. She had to calm down. It was the story just getting to her although she had to give them credit for being right about the sounds.

Though they were just sounds weren't they?

Belle started splashing water on her face. She didn't expect the water to be so very cold as ice. She shook he head and shuddered at the temperature. She then frowned as she opened her eyes. She felt something light in her hands. She looked down at her hands seeing a wet green slime blended with what seemed to be a wet blade of long shrubbery on her hands. Belle scoffed as she tried shaking it off of her hands in disgust. She then looked down at the water to see it have the same look to it as the swamp. There were several lily pads around and a frog that hopped from one end to another. Belle gasped as she saw what seemed to look like a skeletal hand leap from the water. She fell back against the dirt road and felt her heart race a marathon.

Belle scrambled up to stand and glanced back down to the water seeing that it was just a thin branch floating. She could've sworn a real skeletal hand had reached for her. She shook her head and went back to the horse who had been eating some blades of grass. She gently pet its about and leant against its neck. She kept trying to assure herself that everything was fine.

Belle then tilted her head as she looked back at the water. Her eyes widened as she looked from left to right then. She hadn't even left the area of the swamp. She...was just there and now she's back here at the swamp? She looked ahead to see the same lake that she thought she reached. Belle gently tugged on the rein as she walked with the horse to that area.

Belle sighed as she felt like she was gone from the boggy swamp. She froze then seeing that once again, she ended up at the swamp. She was deeply confused and aggravated. Was this some trick?

Belle tried once again to get to the lake but every time she stepped foot onto her desired location, she was booted back to the swamp!

Belle felt like she was being tricked and that the forest might have been magical or something. It was like something was holding her back and not letting her go.

Belle's lips dried and her throat became thin as she heard what coils have been someone calling out her name. It matched the wind's tone. The wind had returned by the way and became warm and lanky this time. Its voice was rasped and tried getting across to Belle it seemed. It made the hairs behind her neck stand on end. She started to whip around to find the voice. It kept on coming with that tone.

"_Belle."_

Belle frowned and felt herself become frustrated yet spooked all at once.

"Who are you? What do you want?!", Belle called out.

"_Belle."_

It continued devilishly as if taunting her now. More of them came and whispered amongst the trees. There had been cackles that matched the rustling of shrubbery dramatized.

_" .Belle."_

The voices became more urgent as Belle's heart fluttered uneasily and her brows started to bead with sweat. The incessant whispers sent Belle to prepare for her leave.

"_Belle."_

The voices quieted to only one. And now came back the pure silence that Belle so now invited. Belle sighed as she felt a small pang of relief.

That was until there were sounds of clattering hooves.

Belle's eyes immediately tried finding the source. It made her anxious and it matched the beating of her heart.

_Clickityclickityclickityclickityclickity_

Belle's blood thinned and she clutched on her own heart as if it started to be weary from it's non-stop harsh beating that matched the clicks.

_Clickityclickityclickityclickityclickity_

Belle's breathing became unsteady and she clutched hard on the reins of the horse.

What scared her more was that the horse was afraid. Animals sense danger from miles away. It started going nuts, it's eyes wide in terror, the whites of its eyes had been revealed and it stood on its hind legs, it's upper legs flailing up in the air, it's neighs as loud as a baby's cry for desperation and assistance.

Belle tried calming the horse, hopefully to find comfort if the horse kept quiet and didn't make her panic.

The signs were all there as she had been told as a tot about the Legend. The incessant sounds that gave you the feeling that you weren't alone, the billowing wind, the old shack, the never-ending swamp, and now, the clicking of hooves which meant the Horseman was near.

Belle backed away as the wind blew harshly toward her and then tripped over a rock which gave her a mild blow to the head as she landed against a tree.

Belle rubbed her head still hearing the clicks but it had been fading away as the wind became still again. She tried getting up slowly as her vision cleared. She glanced beside her to see Cattails lightly tapping against a tree.

The wind blowing against the Cattails, Belle concluded, made the plant sound like a horse's clicking hooves when it had clattered against the tree.

Belle sighed then in relief and shook her head not believing this. She was actually becoming paranoid for nothing. She laughed lightly to herself finding herself silly for being superstitious. Belle then climbed back on the horse and shook when head. She steered the horse ahead and sighed. Perhaps the lake she kept seeing was just like the swamp she started off at and she was just seeing things.

Belle looked back at the sky and frowned as she saw the redness of the Ogre War paint the night. She shrugged and looked back down. She then rose a brow seeing an orangish tint on the reflection of the water right by her. Belle had to look back up. The red clouds uncovered an orange-reddish moon, nearly the color of blood.

That had been another sign of the Horseman's arrival.

_ At the sight of the blood red moon, would the Horseman arrive..._

Belle was sure it was nothing until...

A loud thundering cackle echoed in the clearing. Belle paled at the sight seeing mist cloud around a figure on a horse with red glowing eyes. Her eyes widened and her heart stopped as the man on the horse came closer. The figure was blurred until it burst out of the mist and the part missing from the figure...

Was his head.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I know that I only left only one author's note and I'm sorry guys lol. I love you all so much and I love writing notes to my avid readers ;) LOL. This chapter will be more on why is Belle acting so strange and a small introduction to Elsa. By the way, my lovelies, I will be writing another fanfic soon on Queen Elsa herself and her backstory (Since ****ONCE**** is not always true to the real telling of the fairy tales they use, I will use some aspects of ****Frozen**** in it, but not the entire story per say. Let's say it will be my take on it just as Adam and Eddy have their own takes on the fairy tales and plot twists (Especially Peter Pan being a villain as a big one and Zelena being Regina's sister). Anywho, here is the 4th chapter of this legendary tale of Belle's encounter with the Horseman and the Horseman's presence in Storybrooke :) Enjoy - cubanagurl**

* * *

Chapter 4: Storybrooke

The farmhouse formerly owned by the wicked witch, Zelena, was now used by a certain person brought to Storybrooke by the savior. The environment was pretty cold which matched to this woman's interests.

The Snow Queen, named Elsa, glanced out the window in thought. Her brown brows were furrowed as she watched a strange shadow take form in the sky.

What has she done?

She tried finding a spell to protect herself from the town, to protect herself from those who had still despised her for her reputation, but it had unleashed an otherworldly evil. The curse of…

The Headless Horseman.

Elsa hugged herself and shook her head feeling she was a horrible failure and now everyone knew it had to be the Snow Queen that did this. She didn't want to hurt anyone, at all.

What could she do?

* * *

Emma, Regina, and looked all over for the bookish woman, Belle. She had just stormed out of Granny's as if something bothered her-rather according to , something terrified her. The idea of Belle being terrified itself irked everyone and confused them as well.

When was Belle ever frightened of something?

came to the conclusion that Belle might have gone to the library. All three entered the library to see it dark and empty. The door had been unlocked which meant someone had been inside. Belle was the only one who had the keys to the library unless someone knew how to pick-lock the door.

Emma took out her flashlight and clicked it on. The light beamed only what had been exactly straight ahead and not around them. Regina gave her a look which read, 'Where did that flashlight even come from?'. Emma ignored it after briefly looking at Regina since she felt eyes on her.

"Belle?", Emma called out. "Belle? Are you in here?"

Only silence returned Emma's call which made Mr. Gold very nervous. Mr. Gold stepped in front of Emma and Regina quickly with a worried expression on his face.

"Belle!", He urgently called out.

Regina placed a hand on Gold's shoulder to calm him down. That wasn't going to do anyone good if was anxious. He usually dramatized the situation especially if it had to do with his Belle.

Regina didn't blame him. She would do the same if it had to do with...well you know.

"Belle, it's just us…", Regina spoke steadily.

Suddenly, a small shuffling sound was made nearby. All three froze in their composure. It was eerie in the darkened environment. It was pretty odd without seeing the lights on and a bright, merry Belle behind the counter. Belle wasn't at the counter now and the environment was silent and still.

Emma walked cautiously forward as Mr. Gold pulled out an item to track Belle down with magic just in case.

"Belle?", Emma spoke up again.

"Over here…", a fragile voice finally answered.

All three of them looked around the corner, which had been where the voice came from. There, they saw a huddling Belle, in the 'Non-fiction' section of the library. She was in the letter 'O' aisle with a gloomy expression on her young, fair face.

Mr. Gold knelt beside his wife with a concerned expression on his face. He gently laid a hand on her exposed knee.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?", Mr. Gold asked his beloved wife.

Belle sighed as her cerulean blue eyes rose up to meet the light, small brown eyes of the Dark One. She shook her head then and looked away as if ashamed to say what she had to.

"It's nothing.", Belle said in a dismissive way, but the tone itself had false sincerity.

Emma didn't have to use her 'superpower' to see that Belle had not been exactly being true to herself or the others around her currently.

"Please, Belle, you don't have to be afraid to say anything…"

" I'm not afraid.", Belle protested rather abruptly.

Regina rolled her eyes finding this ridiculous. She knew that Belle was just trying not to worry Mr. Gold, it was clearly obvious. Mr. Gold had done the same thing in return to Belle.

Mr. Gold picked up her fear, being a cowardice himself in the past. His eyes were still locked on hers as if saying that she could say anything and that no matter what he would be there as her husband, and as her True Love.

"It's okay to be afraid for once, Belle. You tell Gold not to be afraid when he was frightened to show his affections with you.", Regina brought up.

It surprised both Belle and Mr. Gold when Regina told Belle that. Belle instead had a weak smile on her face. It was evident that despite the tension they still had and the fact that Regina locked her up all of this time, that Regina was trying to change. It was also clear when she apologized to her when Regina said she needed help from Belle.

"Is it the Horseman?", Emma asked front and center.

Belle sighed softly and shifted with discomfort. It took her a while before she started to talk.

"Before I made a deal with Rumple to be his caretaker, I used to always run away from home. I didn't want to be told what to do with my life and I certainly didn't want to marry Gaston."

Mr. Gold then wrapped his arm around her and held her close as he sat now next to her. Belle scooted closer to him and blindly rubbed his hand as she looked at Emma and Regina as she continued on to speak.

"One day, I went to this tavern and I overheard this man telling a story of how he 'went' to Sleepy Hollow and encountered the Headless Horseman."

Belle shuddered as she said that wicked name.

"Of course, I didn't believe it especially when the man said that he was Ichabod Crane. We all never knew what happened to Crane. All we knew for sure was that Crane had disappeared. The legend had said that no one made it out alive when they entered Sleepy Hollow."

"Me being the curious one, I decided that if this man claiming to be Crane made it out alive, then I would too. It would be an adventure I thought."

Belle shook her head with a weak scoff. She hated reflecting back to that night.

"That night, I travelled to Sleepy Hollow by horse. All the signs were there, but I ignored them. Then, I saw him...he was the most horrifying apparition I've ever seen. I have no idea how I made it out alive, but I did. After I did, I returned home. I can't get the images out of my mind. It's the closest I've actually been to death, ever."

Emma nodded after listening. If Belle was this terrified and had doubted how she survived, this meant that this Horseman was dangerous and had been horrifying to actually meet.

"Don't worry, Belle. We will get rid of the threat before you know it. Is there anything we should know about defeating it?", Emma questioned.

Belle shrugged. "You don't necessarily defeat the Horseman, you have to get away from him."

"You pass some bridge right, holy grounds?" Regina asked.

Belle nodded. "I would be wary though, he throws a pumpkin with flames in it. It is known to capture your soul and pull it from existence"

This sent shivers down Emma's spine as she shuddered and shook her head.

"I'll...uh...keep that in mind. For now, try to see if you find something...like some alternative. The Horseman was summoned, therefore there has to be a way to just make him disappear."

Belle nodded as she then leant her head on Gold's shoulder. She was calm for now, although you could tell she was still slightly bothered.

"Please, be careful.", Belle advised Emma.

Emma then instructed Regina to come with her to find The Horseman's whereabouts and Mr. Gold insisted that he would stay with Belle.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Granny's, Ruby was finishing up her shift. She took her apron off before being stopped on her way out the door by her grandmother.

"Where do you think you're going? Remember, it's your turn to take out the trash today."

Ruby rolled her eyes and shook her head. She dreaded the chore since it hadn't been her exact favorite- I mean who likes to take out the trash especially when it's after long hours after work?

"But, Granny, I'm going to a party tonight. I have to get ready.", Ruby whined.

Granny huffed and didn't like that Ruby always came up with these excuses.

"We made a deal. Do as you're told.", Granny replied sternly.

Not being able to convince Granny, Ruby eventually kicked the door open as she dragged a large, heavy black trash bag to the alleyway. Although Ruby had been a werewolf, going down the alleyway at night time was still just as creepy. Ruby lugged the trash bag just over her shoulder to toss it into the open bin.

After the relief from the heavy way, Ruby swiped at her face when several flies decided to have a party. She shook her head in disgust and then jumped hearing a hollow-like sound. The wind picked up, making the leaves on the street spiral out of control.

Ruby shuddered from the wind. It was eerie and it sounded like there had been someone whispering to her. She hugged herself and frowned hearing a thump. She narrowed her eyes as she curiously stepped further into the alley.

"H-hello?", she meekly called out.

No sound responded, just the wind still blowing. Ruby stopped and shrieked when a cat leapt from the shadows, terrifying her for a brief moment. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Stupid cat.", Ruby drawled in annoyance.

Ruby turned around to grab her purse that had been inside the diner until she ran into a hard substance. She lifted her head up to see that it had been a tall figure in armor and it cracked its knuckles. She paled and gulped seeing that she couldn't see who it was for...they didn't have a head.

Ruby paled and backed away with a scream of terror as a flaming pumpkin appeared in the figure's hand. Instead of throwing the pumpkin, the figure outstretched its arm and showed that the pumpkin was fueled by a burning human limb and that blood was dripping down the eyes of the pumpkin. On the carved lips appeared flesh that separated to form a pair of pale lips. It spoke in a haunting voice,

"_**I WANT THE ONE WHO ESCAPED ME ON A HORSE!" **_


End file.
